Reaction to threats by Senator Dianne Feinstein and others to ban certain weapons and serverely restrict ownership of guns generally has caused a run on gun stores, as is widely reported.

Less reported is the run on ammunition, leaving ammunition inventories down 93% since election day.

So reports Traction Control blog, Plunge! Ammunition Levels Less Than 10% of Pre-Election Levels:

Ammunition Stock levels have fallen by more than 90% from the pre-Election Day levels. Less than 10% remains available. Available Ammunition links will be updated throughout the day.

Handguns are down by 80%, Long Guns by 63% for an overall 72.2% reduction in firearms inventories.

AR pattern rifles are becoming particularly difficult to source.

In some locations, ammunition is hard to find:

Gun buyers in Houston have bought up the entire inventory of AR guns. It is not just the guns. The ammunition is sold out. The magazines are sold out, and not just the magazines that hold 30 or more rounds. Even finding a 10-round magazine is elusive. And ammunition? The smaller boxes of ammunition in the 223-556 calibers may be found, but not the larger boxes. Try calling Top Gun, Academy, Carter Country and other stores and you will get more or less the same answer: We are sold out entirely, we have no idea when we are getting new stock in, and we have no idea what the pricing will be. Even the online sites that deal in guns and ammo are now low on inventory as sales have spiked.

Investors are noticing what it will mean for ammunition manufacturers in 2013:

Right now, ammo is severely constrained in all major retail stores and online. Local checks by the author at multiple Academy Sports and Outdoors, (which is owned by (KKR), Walmart (WMT), and Dicks Sporting Goods (DKS) have all meet with the same feedback  gun sales, especially of AR-type weapons and pistols, are highly elevated, with some places being sold out of AR-type weapons. Ammo is scarce for popular rounds such as 9mm, .40 cal, .223, and 7.62×39.

Online stores such as cheaperthandirt.com are also sold out on many popular rounds. We had to go all the way to the 9th product page to find 9mm in a 50 round box for sale!

Clearly, ammo is in high demand right now, and from our point of view, it has never been harder to find.

Obviously the solution is to expand the manufacturing facilities, hire tens of thousands to become part of the workforce and to add more Made in USA to the store shelves.

But then again the feds could right this moment find many obscure ways to shut it all down, keep the shelves empty either by closing the suppliers or as we have seen before just starting another massive ammo purchase.

7
posted on 12/29/2012 2:21:44 AM PST
by Eye of Unk
(A Civil Cold War in America is here, its already been declared.)

Immediately after the Sandy Hook shooting I placed an order from Brownells, its on its way.

In about 6 weeks this should stabilize unless another mass shooting occurs, but I would suggest prioritizing what is actually needed and get what you believe you need like it won’t ever be available again.

9
posted on 12/29/2012 2:32:24 AM PST
by Eye of Unk
(A Civil Cold War in America is here, its already been declared.)

I was looking at gun laws around the world. Most countries that allow guns require you to state the purpose for the gun — typically; hunting, target shooting, or collecting. Self defense is rarely allowed as a legitimate purpose. It is unheard of, except here in THESE USA for “protection from tyranny” to be stated as the purpose.

There are plenty of guns and ammo to be bought, just not on the retail market. It is all on the secondary market.

These commodities are non existent on the retail (cheap) scene and demand is through the roof. Everything can be had.....for a price. For those willing to pony up the cash, all can be had. Supply and demand rears it’s ugly head yet again.

For the winers refusing to pay more than $1,000 for an AR or 30 cents a round to feed them, they will have a VERY long wait to get what they want, like between 3 years and never.

The gun dealers saw this coming, and have been inventory heavy since the first Obama inauguration. Many of them now have their retirement nest egg. My hat is off to those who were willing to invest in their beliefs of where politics is headed.

I doubled my basic load for all calibers last summer in anticipation of the election fraud of 2012. My rule of thumb where I live is 1000 rounds per caliber except 22 cal. Need at least 10,000 rounds of 22 for small game and barter. Good luck. Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed.

You have it right, the boobs in the beltway have made this nation more than brittle. We are but a few “Social Justice” platitudes away from the straw that breaks the camel’s back. The takers have reached the point where we find out if the Rule of Societies applies. “Society will have exactly as much crime as it chooses to tolerate.” We may be at a point of Constitutional Redeclaration.
As for me I would have preferred to live in a less interesting time, but lacking that choice I only hope America is prepared for where we are headed.

37
posted on 12/29/2012 6:44:43 AM PST
by Steamburg
(The contents of your wallet is the only language Politicians understand.)

Dumberthandirt also knee-jerked pulled all their guns off their site after Sandy Hook to "review their policies." Then the issued some nonsense statement on their FaceBook page (within hours they had several thousand p'od responses - which was funny because other retailers were posting their links to their own site). When you did click on firearms at their site, it said 'ctd does not sell firearms.'

A lot of people have stated they will not purchase from them again, myself included. I sent them a nice email detailing all the money I spent at their competitors; several other guys I know have done so as well.

Dumberthandirt is probably trying to gouge whatever they can from their remaining customers due to the cost of their knee jerk.

39
posted on 12/29/2012 6:54:39 AM PST
by Repeat Offender
(What good are conservative principles if we don't stand by them?)

Good plan. However, not to sound like a know-it-all because I am not sure if this is the case this time around....but in the summer of 2009, re-loaders were hosed out too. It wasn't just the inability to keep finished ammo on the shelf, but a lack of components too.

In spring/summer 2009, the largest ammo manufacturers in the U.S. were back ordered 50 million plus primers. And, assuming each gun buyer in 2009 bought 1000 rounds each......that would be over 14 Billion rounds purchased in 2009 by our fellow Americans.......I know I personally bought well over 1000 rounds........and I don't remember the panic being quite to this level even in Nov-Dec 2008 after the election.

I don't reload my own, but from what I've been reading on various forums, other re-loaders try to maintain 10s of thousands of primers on hand at any given time.........all that to say that if you plan on doing that - get your hands on as many primers as soon as you can, FRiend.

42
posted on 12/29/2012 7:08:09 AM PST
by Repeat Offender
(What good are conservative principles if we don't stand by them?)

Guess I went overboard. Just over 33K total, 1/3 5.56, 1/3 22LR, and the rest between .308 and scattered rifle/shotgun/pistol calibers. None less that 500 rounds. And looking to get more. Powder and primers just waiting to be used.
I never thought I would be this concerned about things this late in my life; guess I was just not thinking right when I was younger.

I read on their (CTD) site that they are going back to selling firearms `once the buying frenzy ends’. That’s the excuse they are using for bending over a couple weeks ago.
I use steel mags from former Soviet bloc states and have good luck recently with Tapco plastic mags. Of course you want to test every mag to make sure it feeds OK.
Steel mags over your armor vest helps protect your vital organs.

Hard to believe we’re/I’m talking like this ... Thanks for bring the country together Bam!

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